That’s not a daffodil! written and illustrated by Elizabeth Honey, is a sweet story about a little boy, Tom, and his neighbour, Mr. Yilmaz. The little boy is sceptical that the bulb Mr. Yilmaz has given him will grow into a flower. Tom imagines different aspects of the pot and plant to be various things, from a wet rocket to a streetlight.

This book is lyrical and the images have a wonderful feel of tranquility about them. I also appreciate the very subtle themes of cultural diversity embedded within the book. They are not didactic whatsoever, and are not mentioned on the book jacket.

My gut instinct, however, is that this book, whilst extremely well written and clever, is not for everyone. Covering themes from imagination, gardening, friendship and discovery, the relaxing feel of the story is likely to be met with mixed reactions, some absolute enjoyment and some not so much. For children ages 3-6.

Make up your own mind, at: https://www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?page=94&book=9781742372488